_A.M. 2533. B.C. 1471._ Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, rise up against Moses, Numbers 16:1. Moses reasons with them, Numbers 16:5. Sends for Dathan and Abiram, who refuse to come, Numbers 16:12. His proposal to Korah, Numbers 16:15. The punishment of the rebels, Numbers 16:20. Their censers preserved f... [ Continue Reading ]
The many ample testimonies, nay, the astonishing miracles, whereby God had established the authority of Moses as chief governor, and of Aaron and his family as priests, were not sufficient to restrain the ambition of mutinous and designing men. Korah, cousin-german to Moses and Aaron, a man of some... [ Continue Reading ]
_They_ Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and the rest, who were all together when Moses spake these words, (Numbers 16:5,) but after that, Dathan and Abiram retired to their tents, and then Moses sent for Korah and the Levites, who had more colourable pretences to the priesthood, and treats with them apart... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moses fell upon his face_ Humbly begging that God would direct and vindicate him. Accordingly God answers his prayers, and strengthens him with new courage, and confidence of success.... [ Continue Reading ]
_To-morrow_ Hebrew, _In the morning;_ the time appointed by men for administering justice, and chosen by God for that work. Some time is allowed, partly that Korah and his company might prepare themselves and their censers; and partly to give them space for consideration and repentance. _He will cau... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye sons of Levi_ They were of his own tribe; nay, they were of God's tribe. It was therefore the worse in them thus to mutiny against God and against him. _To minister to them_ So they were the servants both of God and of the church, which was a high dignity, though not sufficient for their ambitio... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram_ To treat with them, and give them, as he had done Korah and his company, a timely admonition. _We will not come up_ To Moses's tabernacle, whither the people used to go up for judgment. Men are said in Scripture phrase, to _go up_ to places of judgment.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men_ Of all the people who are of our mind? wilt thou make them blind, or persuade them that they do not see what is visible to all that have eyes, to wit, that thou hast deceived them, and broken thy faith and promise given to them?... [ Continue Reading ]
_Respect not their offering_ Accept not their incense which they are now going to offer, but show some eminent dislike of it. He calls it _their offering_, though it was offered by Korah and his companions, because it was offered in the name and by the consent of all the conspirators, for the decisi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Be thou and thy company before the Lord_ Not in the tabernacle, which was not capable of containing so many persons severally offering incense, but at the door of the tabernacle, where they might offer it by Moses's direction upon this extraordinary occasion. Indeed, this work could not be done in... [ Continue Reading ]
_They put fire in them_ Taken from the altar which stood in that place, for Aaron might not use other fire. And it is likely the remembrance of the death of Nadab and Abihu deterred them from offering any strange fire.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Korah gathered all the congregation_ That they might be witnesses of the event, and, upon their success, which they doubted not of, might fall upon Moses and Aaron. And it seems by this that the people were generally incensed against Moses, and inclined to Korah's side. _The glory of the Lord appea... [ Continue Reading ]
_The God of the spirits of all flesh_ And this is no empty title here, but very emphatical. Thou art the Maker of spirits, destroy not thy own workmanship. O thou who art the preserver of men, and of their spirits, the Lord of spirits, (Job 12:10,) who, as thou mayest justly destroy this people, so... [ Continue Reading ]
_Speak unto the congregation_ Whom, for your sakes, I will spare upon the condition following. _Unto Dathan_ Because they refused to come to him. _The elders_ The seventy rulers, whom he carried with him for the greater solemnity of the action, and to encourage them in their work, notwithstanding th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Stood in the door_ An argument of their foolish confidence, obstinacy, and impenitence, whereby they declared that they neither feared God nor reverenced man.... [ Continue Reading ]
_All these works_ As the bringing of the people out of Egypt; the conducting of them through the wilderness; the exercising authority among them; and giving laws to them concerning the priesthood.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The death of all men_ By a natural death. _The visitation of all men_ By plague, or sword, or some usual judgment. _The Lord hath not sent me_ I am content that you take me for an impostor, falsely pretending to be sent of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
_All that appertained unto Korah_ That is, all his family that were there, women, children, and servants; but his sons, who were spared, (Numbers 26:11; Numbers 26:58; 1Ch 6:22; 1 Chronicles 6:37,) were absent either upon some service of the tabernacle, or upon some other occasion, God so ordering i... [ Continue Reading ]
_From the Lord_ From the cloud, wherein the glory of the Lord appeared.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Their own souls_ That is, their own lives; who were the authors of their own destruction. _The altar_ Of burnt-offerings, which was made of wood, but covered with brass before this time, (Exodus 27:1,) to which this other covering was added for further ornament, and security against the fire, conti... [ Continue Reading ]
_On the morrow_ Prodigious wickedness and madness, so soon to forget such a terrible instance of divine vengeance! _The people of the Lord_ So they call those wicked wretches and rebels against God! Though they were but newly saved from sharing in the same punishment, and the survivers were as brand... [ Continue Reading ]
_They fell upon their faces_ To beg mercy for the people; thus rendering good for evil. _Put on incense_ Which was a sign of intercession, and was to be accompanied with it. _Go unto the congregation _ He went with the incense to stir up the people to repentance and prayer, to prevent their utter ru... [ Continue Reading ]
_Between the dead and the living_ Whereby it may seem that this plague, like that fire, (Numbers 11:1,) began in the uttermost parts of the congregation, and so proceeded destroying one after another in an orderly manner, which gave Aaron occasion and direction so to place himself as a mediator with... [ Continue Reading ]